This invention relates to chain attachments, and, more specifically, to a polymeric snap-through attachment for a hollow rivet chain.
Attachments have been added to chains for many years. The attachment extensions can be of various types and shapes. There are pusher flight attachments, blade attachments for chain that is used in digging, flat top attachments for carrying articles, and many other types of attachments. The attachments have been attached to the chains in various manners, such as by welding, bolting, and so forth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,943 "Gentsch" shows a top plate assembly which is attached to a chain by resiliently fitting over an extended chain pin.
The flights which are welded and bolted on are heavy, because they are made of metal, and are expensive, due to the labor and materials involved in the welding or bolting. The flights or attachments may occasionally be exposed to large stresses, which may damage the flight or the link to which it is solidly attached or may damage the conveyor itself. If a link is damaged, the chain must be taken apart and that link removed, thereby requiring a substantial amount of labor. In many cases the removal and reassembly are very difficult to perform in the field. If the flight has been welded on, and the flight is damaged, again the link must be removed. If the flight has been bolted in place, and the flight is damaged, it is possible to remove the flight and install another flight, but this is another labor intensive operation.